Kristi Kraft Named Athletic Club Boise Community Impact STAR
USL1 Athletic Club Boise

Kristi Kraft Named Athletic Club Boise Community Impact STAR

Published on May 13, 2026 under United Soccer League One (USL1)
Athletic Club Boise News Release


At Athletic Club Boise, the Community Impact STAR - Service, Teamwork, Accountability, and Responsibility - is symbolized by a single purple chair inside our stadium.

That chair reflects both the eye of the falcon in our crest and the Idaho star garnet. More importantly, it represents the people and organizations who strengthen our community in lasting ways. Those who show up for others, create opportunity, and help shape a stronger future for Idaho.

During our home match on Wednesday, May 13, vs. FC Naples, Athletic Club Boise will recognize Kristi Kraft, President and CEO of Special Olympics Idaho, as our latest Community Impact STAR honoree.

MORE THAN SPORTS

For many people, Special Olympics begins and ends with competition. But for Kristi Kraft, the organization has always been about something much bigger: inclusion, opportunity, and belonging.

"I think it's amazing some of the programming that we do that people don't know about," Kraft says. "People think of sports... but we provide full health screenings and health care in eight different disciplines. We provide grants to schools... unified sports programs..."

Across Idaho, Special Olympics Idaho serves athletes and families through year-round programming that stretches far beyond the field of play. From Unified Champion Schools to wellness training and free health initiatives, the organization works to create opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to fully participate in their communities.

And at the center of that work is a belief that inclusion changes everyone involved.

A CULTURE SHIFT

At a recent unified track meet hosted by Special Olympics Idaho, nine different high schools came together with students competing both with and without intellectual disabilities.

For Kraft, those moments represent something deeper than athletics.

"It's a culture shift," she says. "Students get together and get to know each other when typically you might not meet somebody with an intellectual disability in your school."

As students cheered from the sidelines and teammates rallied around one another, Kraft watched something she's seen develop over decades of involvement with the organization: connection replacing separation.

"The whole school comes out and cheers everybody on," she says. "It's really making sure that all the students know what's happening and why they're there and just being a part of it."

WHERE IT STARTED

Kraft's connection with Special Olympics Idaho began more than 30 years ago, first as a volunteer and coach, and ultimately led to her becoming President and CEO five years ago.

Her motivation was personal.

"I actually have three sons with intellectual disabilities," Kraft says. "I got involved to get them involved, and I just loved the program."

What she saw firsthand was the way sports and community could transform confidence and create opportunity.

"They gain so many skills and so much confidence being a part of things," she says. "Every single time they compete, they come back with a new skill that they've learned and confidence."

For many athletes, that confidence begins with something small: simply trying.

"You learn to run and the next thing you know it's like, 'I could do it,'" Kraft says. "I took a chance and I did it."

She points to one athlete currently training for the USA Games who now runs nearly ten miles a day.

"He's very, very bashful, and his confidence is just insane," she says.

GIVING PEOPLE A SEAT AT THE TABLE

Over the course of her career, Kraft has watched perceptions around intellectual and developmental disabilities continue to evolve.

"I think the perception has changed as far as what people can do and how they should be included," she says.

That inclusion, she explains, means more than simply being invited into a room. It means being heard.

"We've been able to really give them a voice and empower them," Kraft says. "Ask for a seat at the table. Ask to be a part of the organization or group that's advocating on their behalf."

At Special Olympics Idaho, athletes are encouraged to help shape programming and decisions that directly impact their lives.

"We often ask our athletes, 'What do you want to do? How do you want this to look?" she says. "They have a voice. They have an opinion."

That mindset has become foundational to the organization's work throughout Idaho schools and communities.

THE POWER OF BELONGING

For Kraft, one of the most meaningful parts of Special Olympics Idaho is watching athletes experience moments of recognition and belonging that many families once feared might not happen.

"When you have a small child, and you're told your child has a disability, the first thing you think is, 'Oh, it's going to be different for them,'" she says.

But at events like unified competitions, she sees families watching entire schools rally around their children.

"They realize they really did get that opportunity," Kraft says. "Today is about them. They get to be cheered for."

And while sports are the vehicle, the impact extends much further.

"It makes them feel important," she says. "We all want that."

BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIES

Kraft believes the impact of Special Olympics Idaho extends well beyond the athletes themselves.

"I think it shifts the way people think about each other," she says. "Just because we're not the same, we can still accept each other, and we can still be kind."

She sees that mindset reflected especially in younger generations who have grown up around unified programs and inclusive school environments.

"When people treat each other nicely, the whole entire culture is different," Kraft says.

That philosophy is also part of why the partnership with Athletic Club Boise matters to Special Olympics Idaho.

"When people look up to professional athletes, and when professional athletes are good role models of how it is to include, it does make a difference," she says.

For athletes involved with Special Olympics Idaho, the visibility and support of a professional club sends an important message: they belong in the larger sports community, too.

"Our athletes work hard," Kraft says. "They work out, they have virtual workouts, they have nutrition plans... they achieve in their own way the same type of goals that are professional athletes."

GETTING INVOLVED

Special Olympics Idaho continues to rely heavily on volunteers across the state, from coaches and officials to event support and unified partners.

"We always need volunteers," Kraft says. "We need coaches. We need officials. We need venues."

The opportunities can range from a one-time event to a lifelong commitment.

"It can be an hour a month," she says. "It can be a one-time thing. And it can also be a lifetime thing."

RECOGNITION, IN CONTEXT

On Wednesday night, Kristi Kraft will be recognized in Athletic Club Boise's Purple Seat as the club's newest Community Impact STAR honoree.

The recognition reflects more than her leadership title. It honors decades spent helping athletes across Idaho build confidence, community, and opportunity through inclusion.

And through every program, every unified event, and every athlete celebrated along the way, Kraft believes the message remains simple:

"We can still accept each other," she says. "And we can still be kind."

Check out the Athletic Club Boise Statistics

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